Epcot shopping pass?

[Muffy]

Can someone tell me about the Epcot shopping pass? I vaguely remember hearing about it years ago. How long do they give you to shop? Thanks in adance!

Muffy

 

[Belle1962]

The last I heard they had discontinued the shopping pass program. This was about a year ago--maybe someone else has info??

 

[Muffy]

Thanks Belle1962! Someone posted on the resort boards about it. I assumed it was because she used the pass recently?! Maybe it's to good to be true? Doesn anyone else have info on this shopping pass?

 

[Grumpy92]

The shopping pass no longer exist. But you might want to try another method that we did one time. Go to Gst Relations at the entrance to the park tell the cm that you just wish to shop. They will sell you a one day ticket. You have I believe 1-2 hours to return and then they will refund the ticket price off your cc. They dont really like to do this but it cant hurt to ask.

 

[markºoº]

I was able to do this in 2001. Basically I had to purchase a full price one-day ticket to the park from guest services. Then I had to return to guest services with one hour along with a receipt from a store in EPCOT and they would refund my purchase price. I made my purchase in Mouse Gears and time to ride Spaceship Earth and walk through Innoventions and returned to guest services in about 50 minutes a received a full refund.

I have also heard that his had been discountinued but cannot verify if that is the case.

 

[Muffy]

WOW, Thanks Grumpy92 and Mark! Sounds like it may still be available or something similar. Any other information about this interesting shopping pass?

 

[pintrader]

The shopping pass was discontinued for many reasons. We, too used it in 2001 ... pre 9-11 . It was good for ONE hour. Due to POS complications we were not able to buy what we wanted at Pin Central. We were sent all the way back to Millineum Village. The line was horrendousWe waited there for 10-15 minutes and less than 5 people had moved from the line. Our arithmetic skills told us we would not be out in 35 minutes. So we made our way on back to American Adventure where the product had not yet found its way and the line was equally long.

By time we got back to the front gate we had been in the park for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Of course they wanted to charge us for the whole day ticket and we wanted to continue to explain all the extenuating circumstances that were entirely THEIR fault and none ours, until they changed their collective mind.

Point is ... it's just bad guest realtions all around. They make someone angry if they are not let in but people are not as sympathetic. They don't expect to get in for no charge.

They make people angry if we (guests) offer them the priviledge to earn some of our money and they charge the card 50+ bucks to let us in and we only stayed a couple of hours. Not as many understand EVERYBODY gets angry when they realize this could happen to "me".

We expect to get a whole day's stay for a full day's pay. AND it takes up to 10 days to get a credit refunded to people's charge cards. This is money they could have had to spend somewhere else in the parks or resorts and Disney cannot speed up the rate at which a credit card company processes a refund.

Long and short of it, try to find someone who can get you what they want while they are in there. Is it something that can be bought somewhere else?

Since September 11, 2001 we all have to accept that life as we knew it even at WDW has changed forever. Guest Relations are really well trained in saying no over and over and over agiain and trying their best not to disappoint us ... firm but sympathetic

 

[Muffy]

Thanks pintrader. Sounds like the ol shopping pass is now GONE. I don't need a shopping pass I was just trying to get info on it for my notes. I keep a tip sheet and this sounded very interesing for future reference. Thanks for undate!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Muffy
Thanks pintrader. Sounds like the ol shopping pass is now GONE. I don't need a shopping pass I was just trying to get info on it for my notes. I keep a tip sheet and this sounded very interesing for future reference. Thanks for undate!

Hi ya Muffy,
They stopped that a couple of years ago. Deb addresses it on her site.

 

[Muffy]

Thanks Gail! I thought it was to good to be true.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Muffy
Thanks Gail! I thought it was to good to be true.

It was nice while it lasted, but, as all good things, it was abused, so they stopped it. It was intended for shopping, not shopping and hopping a few quick rides.

 

[Grumpy92]

I will tell you that if there is a specific item you want you can do one of two things. The Gst Svc/FD can get it for you and charge it to your room or you call the merchandise number and have it shipped to your home.

WDW did have a shopping pass, but that was years ago and long gone. They dont really like doing the buy the pass & return it method but they can.

 

[Muffy]

quote from grumpy92:
WDW did have a shopping pass, but that was years ago and long gone. They dont really like doing the buy the pass & return it method but they can.

That must be what she is talking about "buy the pass and return it method" on the resort board "Dolphin/Swan questions and answers thread" She said she used the back gate (international walkway) at epcot to enter w/o any problem after her PAP expired this past summer. Great to know you can do that! Thanks!